The second annual Father-Daughter Dance held by Young Minds, Big Ideas on Saturday was an even bigger hit in its sophomore year, according to event coordinator Jordan Ascencio.
“We were not expecting that,” she told Sapulpa Herald in a conversation over the weekend.
The group had prepared for 65 fathers and their daughters, which was closer to what they had last year. “We had 101 fathers and daughters. We were so happy to get more kids in here,” she said.
Similar to last year, fathers and daughters came from all over, dressing up in their Sunday best and princess dresses, arriving in stretch limousines and getting photos near the balloon arch, and generally having a great time with friends and family.
Ascencio says there were a number of new memories made this year, as she recounted some of the more memorable moments:
“We had a two-week-old baby girl with her dad, there was a dad in red shoes and suspenders that swung danced with his daughter,” she said. “They dipped and danced and looked like professionals,” she said. “We had a grandfather bring his granddaughters, that was sweet.”
The event has been such a hit that some parents are even asking for it to be held multiple times a year. “We had a lot of dads ask to do it twice a year,” Ascencio said, pointing to the fun the kids were having as the reason why. “The balloons were the biggest hit. The girls all had balloons (and were) running around and playing games.”
Since ticket sales exceeded expectations, what would YMBI do with the additional cash? Ascencio said it was a problem they hadn’t had to face before.
“We normally don’t make money off this,” she said. “It’s just a way for the kids to learn how much work goes into events, and to give them the skills to interact with adults.”
She says YMBI is planning on donating a mural with the “Founding Feathers” map—another Young Minds, Big Ideas project of installing blue metal feathers all around town—and will put the profits into that.
“We were also able to buy a speaker and microphone for the group for future events,” she said.
